The human body may suffer adverse effects when exposed to cool or cold environmental conditions, particularly when exposed to such conditions for lengthy time periods. While people can simply add another layer of clothing to help stave off the adverse effects of a cold environment in some situations, this simple solution does not necessarily work well for athletes involved in practice or competition. For example, the addition of clothing layers can adversely impact the wearer's ability to freely move, particularly when engaged in exercise, athletic events, or other activities requiring movement. The additional weight, bulk, and/or wind resistance resulting from the additional clothing also can adversely impact athletic performance and expose the athlete to injury due to diminished flexibility, performance, and the like. The adverse impacts on performance and comfort may deter some users from adequately dressing to protect themselves from the cold. This attempted “work-around” action also can harm the wearer's health and well being.
Therefore, improvements in garment structures, particularly for athletic use in cold environments, would be a welcome advance in the art.